Rumor: Eight-core Coffee Lake S CPU shows up in 3DMark database

We were quite impressed with the Core i7-8700K when we reviewed it. Who could complain about a CPU that boasts the fastest out-of-the-box single-threaded performance on the planet as well as multi-threaded performance similar to processors sporting two more cores? Apparently Intel isn't satisfied, because reports are flooding in, seemingly confirming earlier rumors about an as-yet-unnamed eight-core desktop CPU from the boys in blue. The latest such report is detailed over at Videocardz and consists of an entry in the 3DMark database for an eight-core, 16-thread Coffee Lake S processor.

Besides the above info, there's precious little detail to analyze. 3DMark identifies the CPU's stock and turbo clocks both as 2208 MHz. The base clock listing could indicate that the sample is a low-power T-suffix CPU, or it could simply be an error on 3DMark's part. The turbo clock is surely misreported. The CPUID string for the chip is apparently "Genuine Intel(R) CPU 0000 @ 2.20 GHz," and CPU was running on an "Intel Corporation CoffeeLake S 82 UDIMM RVP" motherboard. That suggests that this test could have been performed within Intel on an engineering-sample board.

We've known about the forthcoming Coffee Lake refresh for a long time. Way back in August of last year, leaked Intel roadmaps talked about the "Coffee Lake-S & CNL PCH-H (300 Series) Platform." Not long after that, we heard the first rumblings about the Z390 chipset and its octa-core CPU accompaniment. It seems likely to us that we'll soon see a launch of Z390 along with the rest of the 300-series chipset line. The remainder of the desktop Coffee Lake chips should also arrive in short order. We'll be sure to let you know as we hear more.